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Song, prayer and 70 years of WCC: a celebration of Christian unity

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Song, prayer and 70 years of WCC: a celebration of Christian unity

Georgette Gribi, a theologian and co-director of the Atelier Oecuménique de Théoégie of Geneva. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC

25 January 2018

On 24 January, a music-filled, lively service at the Ecumenical Centre chapel celebrated both the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC since 1968, is traditionally celebrated in the Northern hemisphere from 18-25 January. In 2018, the theme for the week is "Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power,” inspired by Exodus 15:6. This year, resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity were prepared by members of different churches in the Caribbean.

The 24 January service was organized by the Rassemblement des Eglises et Communautés Chrétiennes de Genève, an ecumenical assembly of churches of Geneva.

Georges (Yorgo) Lemopoulos, co-coordinator for the WCC 70th anniversary, opened up the prayer service by welcoming attendees. Lemopoulos retired in 2017 after 30 years of service to the WCC and the ecumenical movement.

Throughout 2018, the WCC will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a variety of events designed move the WCC fellowship and friends forward on an ongoing pilgrimage of justice and peace.

In her sermon, Georgette Gribi, a theologian and Protestant co-director of the Atelier Oecuménique de Théoégie of Geneva, reflected how God’s fury is a sign of His strength and love for the people who suffer.

“Facing soldiers, the people of God had no chance to survive, but with his power they escape from their oppressors.”

God comes to liberate His people and to encourage them to keep walking on the road, she continued. “God’s people need to persevere and will face other difficulties,” she said. “Similarly, people from the Caribbean were delivered from slavery, but they are still living in difficult times.”